The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of applying a dry film lubricant to a rotor slot and in particular to an apparatus and method of applying a dry film lubricant to a compressor rotor slot or a fan disc slot of a gas turbine engine.
Currently dry film lubricant is applied to compressor rotor slots, or fan disc slots, of gas turbine engines in order to reduce wear between the compressor rotor and the compressor blade or between the fan rotor and the fan blade to reduce the possibility of failure of the compressor blade or fan blade. The dry film lubricant is applied to the compressor rotor slots or the fan rotor slots during the building of the gas turbine engines or alternatively during overhaul of the gas turbine engine.
The dry film lubricant is applied to the rotor slot by spraying the dry film lubricant as an aerosol from nozzles arranged to direct the dry film lubricant onto the appropriate surfaces of the rotor slot. This method requires the use of special facilities, such as humidity and temperature controlled booths and ovens to stove the dry film lubricant.
It is not possible to re-lubricate the rotor slots while the gas turbine engine is in service without returning the gas turbine engine to an overhaul base.